Peeping Growth
by Stardustdragon123
Summary: *SPOILER: Set inbetween Ride 82 and Ride 83 of Stand Up, the LRIG!* In the midst of self-reflecting over how much she and her viewpoints of the worlds and people around her has changed recently, Kiyoi and Kamui chat with one another. One-Shot from Kiyoi's POV


**Hi there! I thought I'd try something different going into this tie-in one shot to Stand Up, the LRIG!'s most recent arc. Hope you enjoy what's here.**

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As the yacht sails across the open sea on its way towards Singapore, I continue to keep to myself on the lower level, not disturbing anyone during our long journey to the city state and having some peace and quiet in exchange. The memories... no, perhaps 'nightmares' being the more fitting term, even if it was from 'her' perspective had certainly taken quite the toll on my eyes since last night and the chaos of this morning. Because of that, drowsiness had eventually gotten the better of me a few minutes later after we had left the island home of Soryu Leon.

In the midst of catching up on my lost sleep, I briefly overheard Katsuragi and Ruko trying to hush a curious Tama, not wanting her to wake me up abruptly by accident. Aside from the two's efforts, I didn't exactly hear what it was that had one of the Selector's two LRIGs intrigued and somewhat excited by heading to Singapore in the first place. Though frankly, given the world we are now in, I suppose I could see why she would be interested in meeting new faces and in different countries at that. After all, there are not many Selectors back in our world that are foreign, let alone any who have become Eternal Girls, at least to my personal knowledge.

Quite some time after they had left the bottom part of the yacht though, I eventually had recovered on my lost hours of sleep and eventually managed to wake back up, stretching my arms and yawning shortly afterwards. Gazing out to the open space behind me for a while, I could see that we were still on open water and quite a way from our destination still. If what Jillian had told me earlier was true, I imagine it will be in the middle of the afternoon by the time we arrive in the city and to meet up with this Christopher Lo that Kai believes will be beneficial in fixing the one thing that has any chance of getting back to my world. I do not know what to expect from seeing him, though after the events of earlier today, I believe that any uneasiness about this person may be very minimal at best.

Pondering on the subject of that time now, I took the time now to reflect on everything that had happened since this morning and the changes in my mood recently. Katsuragi had told the others on this yacht about what he had seen through my memories of Sakaguchi Ayumi's murder at Remember's hands without my consent and I had felt very hurt that he would simply talk about it as if it were anything else, with no regard for my feelings on the subject. Though part of me still feels bitter about the whole debacle to begin with, I have been willing to forgive him in that he only wanted to help and that he didn't know how to at first. After fighting Kai, during which I had 'borrowed' Katsuragi's deck, I can very much see now what the older fighter had been saying to me towards the end of our confrontation back on the island.

In the past, I had always kept to myself with a blatant stance on not trusting anyone around me, a stance that only lead to me being part of the cause in Sakaguchi's accident when she was really trying to reach out to me as a genuine friend. I had lowered that stance when I had put my faith in Remember to carry out my wish to save her... only to further reinforce it after Sakaguchi's murder, slightly lowering it at times when I was with Amika as an LRIG and when I had to put my trust in Katsuragi to save her mother. Thinking back then, I believe I can see the real reason now behind why I despised his attitude initially when we first ran into each other and when Amika had first engaged a Selector Battle against him.

Whilst there are aspects of him that I could consider an irritation at times, particularly his stubbornness and his somewhat childish nature at times, I believe I was mistaken on the reason behind my stance on him back then. The reason wasn't really because of said aspects irritating me... but the fact that he could keep on smiling and maintaining a friendly aspect around him and his companions, seemingly without much of a care as I originally thought. I felt jealous because he didn't have to go through the same struggles that I did and had the freedom to somehow move forward without the heavier burdens weighing him down. In a sense, after admitting to him that even I had judged him and the others a little unfairly in spite of his earlier error in judgement, I suppose that even I had been acting a little childish towards the whole debacle myself.

Before I have time to think on this more, I hear some footsteps from the small flight of stairs leading to the upper deck of the yacht, leading me to ponder who could be coming down at this moment. Needless to say, as I had initially expected, it was Katsuragi himself who hopped down the steps in quick succession before landing on the lower deck. He turned towards me, still in a bright mood as he was when we had left the island after we had reconciled.

"You any feeling better yet?" he asked cheerfully.

"If you're referring to my lost hours of sleep from last night, you would be correct," I replied in my calm monotone.

Katsuragi didn't mind about the way I had replied to his question, having been around long enough to know that my own self-esteem when it comes to speaking isn't what he would quite call... at its best. He took a seat on the opposite side of the lower deck and looked back through the open space towards the sea behind us. Knowing how he usually was, I could only assume that was trying his best to keep any complaints of the long straight journey to Singapore from impatience alone to a minimum from how much time had already passed and had come to see me to try and keep said complaints off his mind.

"Say, how do you think she's doing?" he pondered.

"Do you mean Amika?" I asked.

"Yeah. She's finally got her mother back, alive and well," he said "And just when you two are finally friends, human to human, this whole mess of getting stuck in our world happens. If she gets worried about where we are, I hope Aichi onii-san can keep her calm until we get back to your world."

In the midst of my reflections, I had indeed forgotten to account that Amika was bound to notice eventually that both of us had now disappeared from my home world and this was no doubt going to cause some distress for her when she found out for herself. It was already much of a dilemma when her mother's life was hanging precariously in the balance prior to Katsuragi's arrival, but now I can't help but fear how she must be feeling, knowing we are now no longer within that world's Tokyo or able to contact her by any means for the time being.

"Amika has grown throughout her time in the Selector Battles," I replied "If she's learned well, I'm certain that she will keep faith that we will eventually make it back to her one day."

"Still, why yesterday of all days though?" he sighed, pondering for a moment.

As the lower deck fell silent between us, I decided to ask a question that I didn't really have in mind at all, but curious to know the answer to since our... first Selector Battle against one another.

"Katsuragi, about what I saw of your wish through Peeping Analyze..." I began "Who exactly is this Emi you mentioned then?"

Upon finishing my question, I noticed that his cheeks had immediately flushed a bright red in slight embarrassment. This person had clearly meant a lot to him and I do vaguely recall him going as far as referring to this Emi as a 'goddess'. Though I know little of Aichi personally, my use of Peeping Analyze did allow me to uncover the fact that she was also his younger sister, making me wonder if he's even aware of Katsuragi's behaviour when it comes to the subject of her.

"Well, you see..." he began, trying to keep his composure together "Emi-san's the most beautiful girl I've ever seen in this world... and she's a really strong fighter too! Someday, I wish to be with her so that we can be together."

As he was looking up towards the 'roof' above us on the yacht, his gaze turned into that of a lovestruck one as if he was imagining a scenario between both himself and the girl of his dreams, oblivious as to what was around him now. Though this topic was hardly worth much of my concern if any, I couldn't help but sigh inwardly a little as I looked towards him, having not seen this side of him up until now.

"So not only can you be stubborn and a little childish at times," I said bluntly in my usual monotone "But you're a hopeless romantic too."

My comment had finally broken Katsuragi out of his love induced daydream as he wobbled on the tiny couch before falling face first onto the floor in front of me. Needless to say, he had quickly leaped back up, seemingly not concerned about the sore face he now had from falling over a few seconds ago.

"Hey, I did make some progress!" he pouted as he looked to one side briefly "I mean... I managed to hold hands with her after clearing out some Reversed Rekka Corps!"

"And you haven't done anything with her since?"

Not having an answer to reply to my question with, he could only hang his head down in embarrassment, still being in somewhat of a pouty mood at this point. Then again, who would be if their pursuits of a romantic interest of their dreams were to be questioned the way anyone would, especially with what little progress had been made. Then again, I would need to see this Emi for myself once we reach this world's version of Japan before I can make a judgement call on how Katsuragi intends on pursuing her with what feelings he does have for her.

"By the way..." he said, wanting to move away from the embarrassment over the topic of his 'goddess' for now "What made you interested in picking up Vanguard after... you know."

After he noticed that I had indeed managed to construct a deck before we left the island, with Sharlene helping me to keep it a surprise for the others until we reached the shop that they called Card Capital, I knew that it was only a matter of time before he asked this question. Having thought on the subject for a while before even building said deck for myself, I thought back to the Selector Battles and I how I acted as Piruluk before I came into Amika's possession as well as the battle against Remember where I had briefly taken over until Katsuragi had enough strength to stand back on his feet.

"You could say that it is curiosity," I answered "But I feel my reasoning for it is responsibility."

"Responsibility?" he asked.

"Until recently, even though I was aware of my actions as an LRIG," I began "I still had no idea that my ignorance and lack of care for the Selectors I served was contributing to Chaos Breaker's plans to destroy our worlds and the Planet Cray. After I got my body back from Remember, I wanted nothing more to do with the Selector Battles or the conflict at hand. As you probably imagine, that was why I was against the concept of imaging in Vanguard, only seeing it as a means to bury my memories and worries for good when I fought Kai."

"But you had second thoughts about that?" Katsuragi pondered.

"Yes," I replied "Even if I cannot call to the actual units here unlike the Selector Battlefields, I can now see that this is very much their fight as well. You fought for the freedom of your Raizers and now, we'll need to fight for the freedom of all the captured units within Mayu's domain."

The air went a deathly silent between us as we contemplated the dire circumstances that had befallen over the units of Cray, particularly the ones that were currently still captured by Mayu. If more attacks like the one on the organization known as Foo Fighter that Kai had informed us about through one of his colleagues were being planned by her, more units would certainly be captured by her associates and knowing Remember as I always have, she will more than likely find a way to be amongst those fighting, one way or another.

"Well, I hope I don't get stuck in suspense for too long about your new deck," Katsuragi said, smiling brightly as he did so "I mean, I could make a few guesses knowing what you and Amika have used... like Megacolony's Paralyze or Nubatama's Hand Bind or something..."

I merely chose to remain silent in response to his guesses, immediately causing him to sigh a little as he had expected that neither I or Sharlene wouldn't attempt to narrow down said guesses. Hopping back onto his feet, he immediately walked over to the stairs, presumably to check in with Jillian to see how far we were now from Singapore at this current moment.

"Katusragi Kamui..." I spoke, causing him to stop and turn back towards me "Thank you... for helping me find me a purpose within myself."

Though I could tell he was initially confused by my answer, he nonetheless nodded with a grin, before heading back up the steps to the upper deck of the yacht, leaving me alone once more. Reaching into my small yellow bag provided to me by Sharlene before we had left the island, I took out the blue coloured deck box that my new deck was kept within, my gaze focused on the Vanguard circle mural that was engraved on the front of it. To be bluntly honest, a part of me was still feeling unsure about what I had chosen as the units for this deck and whether I would be able to work with them well, despite my previous experience in being a Selector in battle.

Looking back to the ocean behind the yacht for a moment, I stared at the azure blue sea, taking note of my reflection and the usual expression I would otherwise hold on my face. Then, letting both my thoughts and imagination get the better of me for a few moments, I imaged what appeared to be a reflection of Sakaguchi Ayumi, as if she was still beside me, regardless of whether she was alive or just a mere spirit of her deceased self. This much was now clear to me as the image eventually seemingly washed away with the ocean's tide. In addition to what the others were fighting for, be that the freedom of those that were LRIGs, Cray's Units and the three worlds involved in this calamity, my reason for fighting was now clear.

My resolve was to fight for the world that Sakaguchi loved and to restore peace and happiness to the game that she enjoyed, that she wanted me to enjoy with her. And I won't let Photon, Mayu or even Chaos Breaker take that away from me or her memory. I once believed I would be better off alone, but now I understand that I was wrong to think that way and though he isn't the perfect person I can think of now who's brought me forward to the way I am now, some of the credit must indeed be attributed to Katsuragi. He didn't just give me a reason to come to my senses recently, but he also gave me one more reason that I never even considered within my own seclusions.

That being, a reason to smile and realize that the world and the people that lived in there could not always be a dark and dreary place as I had always imagined.

Deciding to satisfy my own growing curiosity as to how far this yacht was now from the bay of Singapore, I went over to the stairs leading up to the top deck and started to climb them. I still had no idea where this adventure would take all of us, natives of this world and strangers alike, but one thing was now for certain as I eventually joined Katsuragi, Jillian, Sharlene, Kai and Ruko on the top deck. Things from this point going forwards were going to get rather interesting for all of us as I saw the city bay of Singapore over the horizon in the distance from the front window getting closer with every few miles we went forward.

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 **And there we go! I thought it would be best to delve into Kiyoi's thoughts as we move onto one of the sub-focuses of the Vanguard Side of Arc 4 for Stand Up, the LRIG!. Slowly building up a genuine friendship between her and Kamui. Feel free to drop a favourite if you've enjoyed it and please leave your thoughts and criticisms in the reviews and I'd very much like to hear your thoughts on how I've approached this one shot with the perspective of a character instead of my usual third person narration. Hope you've had a good read and I'll see you guys around!**


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